Instagram introduced a new feature for its users in August 2020, namely Instagram Reels. It was pretty similar to TikTok videos which trended during the lockdown. Due to some reasons, TikTok was effectively banned from most countries around the globe, allowing a lot of social media apps to shine in the short video feature in their respective apps. Instagram, too, jumped on this bandwagon. Reels have taken quite a liking amongst various content creators. This was a simple attempt to leave TikTok behind and compete with it. Especially in India, when the TikTok app was banned, Reels captured the gigantic market. You may wonder why a lot of users switched to Reels as compared to TikTok. The answer is simple- because of its advanced editing features, planned clips with a variety of music, and transitions.

Why choose the Instagram Video View feature- Reels

There are lots of advantages to using reels to grow your platform. Some of them are listed down below:

1. The length of the video can be determined by the creator, ranging from 0.1 to 30 seconds.
2. The Instagram Music library serves more than a million songs to choose from its database for the user to create a reel.
3. The timer and countdown feature gives time for the creator to settle down in its desired position.
4. There are many effects in the effect gallery created by Instagram and its creators to choose from.
5. The speed of the video can be determined. It can slow or speed a video up, depending upon the creator.

A lot of users switched to Instagram because of this small video feature which led to the growth of Instagram users in 2020 as compared to previous owners. If you look at it statistically, 250 million active users were making Reels on Instagram every day. It is the best way to gain followers for small content creators, business workers, companies, shops, trendsetters, etc. You can easily pin your video on the explore page or the for you page on Instagram. If a person hits a certain number of views or likes, they will hog up millions of followers in no time. Trends on Instagram are made only due to the trends used while making reels, whether clothes, jewellery, lifestyle, skincare, etc.

Steps to gain followers on Instagram Reels?

• Make your video Content-rich:

To put this simply, we will encourage you to stick to the original content of your video. The purpose of making a video should be clear to the viewer. Whether it is a cooking video or a clothing inspiration, you must try to cut to the chase without confusing the viewer to avoid skipping your video. A lot of content creators make this simple mistake and give time to introduction to a video or try other things which may leave the viewer uninterested. It is called a short video feature for a reason.

• Write captions for your video:

Concerning what is stated above, you must give your video a caption which mentions what the video is about. This grabs the attention of all the people interested in the niche relating to your video. For example, if your video is about gaming, it would attract a lot of gamers who seek out videos about their respective interests.

• Use sounds which are currently trending on Instagram:

Instagram allows its creators to help themselves when creating content for the application. It provides a list of all of the sounds which are trending and followed by all the trending reels. The algorithm in Instagram filters out people’s tastes in various interests they follow and provide them with similar posts, stories, reels, etc. So it is only natural to present them with popular sounds to make their reels or look at videos.

• Create content for your target audience:

Target specific audiences to grab their attention. For example, if your account deals with cooking with simple ingredients, it may gather the attention of chefs, parents, people whose interest lies in cooking, etc. Or if you travel a lot, you may grab the attention of people who have similar interests, people who travel a lot, students, youngsters, etc.

• Use Hashtags:

Hashtags are the best way to reach a million views on reels instantly. People may hesitate to follow a lot of accounts which may increase their following count on their respective accounts. Instead, they follow hashtags catering to their liking, which shows videos in which those hashtags are used. For example, a person who watches anime may follow hashtags relating to their favourite animes and similar hashtags, which show them millions of videos which used the particular hashtag they used. As it benefits the viewers, it helps the creators and increases their view count.

• Post content consistently:

Remember that Consistency is key for any creator. If you happen to post 3-4 posts daily and then ghost your followers for a month, it may result in a gradual fall in your follower count. The viewers expect you to post at a certain set period which engages the viewers to the reels you post.

• Respond to your comments:

Try looking at all the comments, which are a way used by the viewers to criticize a video or applaud the creator. In any case, it is beneficial for the creator to know more about the audience you are dealing with. You will know if you are making a mistake or going good down the road to success. This tells you what the viewers expect from the account posting the reels.

• Share your Reels on the Explore page of Instagram:

When posting your video, Instagram gives an option to share the reels to the explore page. Try choosing this option every time you are posting to engage your viewers. This may get you a chance to gain new followers, likes and comments under videos.

• Use creative transitions in your videos:

To keep your viewers hooked till the end of the video, try mixing some transitions into your videos. This will pack a punch into your video and make it unique and creative. You can incorporate a lot of transitions into your video, like a cut which is nothing but an abrupt transition from one shot to another, zooming in or out, jumping, recording from different angles, etc.

• Incorporate Questions and Answers in your Reels:

The community on Instagram is one of the most creative people you may ever encounter. So why go to any other place if you’re stuck anywhere, like what to post, when to post, etc. End your reels with whatever you would want to ask and ask your viewers to reply to it in your comment box. This benefits you in two ways- you will get many creative ideas, and your comment section will also blow up.

Conclusion

These tips might help you gain new followers and make your account successful in the Reels section. Now go and create some valuable content!